Xbox and the Xenia Canary emulator team are allegedly working together to bring retro games from the original Xbox and Xbox 360 to PC, Game Pass, and xCloud as part of the “Xbox Classics” program.
In his new video, YouTuber and insider eXtas1s claims that Microsoft is working directly with the development team behind the Xenia Canary, the popular open-source Xbox 360 emulator, on a new emulation initiative dubbed “Xbox Classics.” This project, which could end up being one of the platform’s most ambitious preservation efforts yet, is said to be targeting a full launch in 2026, just in time for the 25th anniversary of the Xbox brand.
According to the insider, the “Xbox Classics” initiative goes far beyond the company’s previous backward compatibility program. Instead of selectively adding legacy titles to the Xbox Series X}S catalog, Microsoft is allegedly building a scalable, multi-platform emulation system that would allow original Xbox and Xbox 360 games to run with enhanced visuals, improved frame rates, and full compatibility across Game Pass, PC, xCloud, and even portable gaming devices like the ASUS ROG Ally. He claims that the software giant has brought the Xenia team on board as official third-party collaborators. Their advanced Canary build of the emulator is widely considered the most stable and feature-rich Xbox 360 emulator available.
Each legacy game is expected to have three optimized versions: one for console, one for PC, and one for the cloud, using AMD-powered server infrastructure for better efficiency and stability. Games like Fable 2, Skate 3, Gears of War 3, and Batman: Arkham Asylum are among the first titles being internally tested. Additionally, other titles such as Def Jam: Fight for New York, Left 4 Dead 2, and Prince of Persia (2008) are allegedly being evaluated for potential inclusion in the program.
Xbox president Sarah Bond has already confirmed that the company’s next gen console will be fully compatible with the existing Xbox game library. Read about it here.
